‘Satisfying to see the group evolving’

Bangladesh Under-19 team recently capped off their month-long Africa tour with a tri-nation YODI series win in Zimbabwe involving the hosts and South Africa. Before that, they also won a YODI series against South Africa in Benoni. U-19 head coach Naveed Nawaz talked to The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan about the successful tour and spoke about his plans for next year's U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia. The excerpts are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): How do you rate the overall performance of your side in the recent month-long tour in South Africa and Zimbabwe?

Naveed Nawaz (NN): Of course, it's very satisfying to see the boys performing really well. South Africa was quite different from Bangladesh in terms of wickets, and conditions. The boys did really well in South Africa. We played some really good cricket there. When we came to Harare, we found that things were quite different. Wickets were a little difficult for batting. A lot of matches had been held there lately. So in the morning, it was a bit challenging. The ball was keeping up and down and there was a bit of seam movement. But when the ball got older, it became easier to bat. These were the challenges for us throughout the series.

DS: In almost every game, a new player emerged as the match winner for Bangladesh. How satisfying was that?

NN: We saw different players coming up with solutions to the problems they faced in the middle. They performed well to make an impact on the result as well. As a team, we didn't depend on only one or two players. On different days, different players performed. It was satisfying because you can see the group is evolving. It also means we are building a strong unit, especially with the players who have confidence to handle situations under pressure and also make their presence felt in the middle.

DS: The next U-19 World Cup will be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia. How important was this tour as preparation for the World Cup?

NN: I think it was important for the boys to have some understanding on how the wickets will play. Although we will play in Bulawayo in the event, which we didn't go to this time as we played all the matches in Harare, still it's not going to be a lot different. I think this tour will help the boys and all of us as well to help them prepare for the World Cup. We will be going to England next month for a five-match YODI series. So the preparation continues.

DS: This group of players won the Asia Cup, did well in Sri Lanka and now had a great tour in Africa. Do you feel your side is developing into a top contender for the next World Cup?

NN: As a team, we never speak about outcomes. We let the outcome take care of itself. We only speak about the roles the people will have to play and the process that we follow and the discipline that we need to maintain. If the players can play their role well and as a team, if we can play good cricket, I think the outcome will take care of itself. We are looking forward to the World Cup but we really don't want to feel under pressure because of it. The main objective is to produce good cricketers for Bangladesh who can go on to represent the country and do great things.

DS: Do you see any similarities between this and the 2020 batch, which you coached to World Cup glory?

NN: It's too early to say but yes, there is definitely potential here. It depends on how they manage after this.

DS: There are quite a few all-rounders in your team like skipper Azizul Hakim Tamim and Rizan Hossan. How beneficial is it for the team?

NN: It adds versatility when you have 13 to 14 different skills in 11 players. That's a huge advantage for any team.

DS: Overall, are you satisfied with the ongoing preparation for the World Cup?

NN: We have played around 20 YODIs starting from the UAE in 2024. We have a series in September against England and then a home series against Afghanistan in October. Asia Cup will probably happen in December. So, there are more games to play and it will add to the players' experience, which will be good for them and that's the plan. So far, I'm very happy with the developments and outcomes as well.